Idol
by tmntfan4eva
Summary: Courtney is up for elimination and there's nothing that can save her now. Or is there? How far will Scott go to keep his crush in the game? And what will Duncan have to say about it? A short little one-shot inspired by a post on tumblr.


**I am head over heels in love with this pairing. Until the fourth episode it never even crossed my mind, but now it's forever stuck in my brain. I put it up over on tumblr and I figured I might as well put it up here too. It's kind of short, but I still like it. I hope you all like it to. :) Enjoy!**

The merge happened during this day's challenge. They are down to eight now, a surprisingly high number to merge at. At least that's what Courtney thinks from her previous encounters with the total drama world. Still, no complaining will change that, just like no complaining with fix the fact she is now in the bottom two.

She sits and wrings her hands as her eyes dart around in apprehension. She bites her lip, a little too hard. She can taste faint traces of the familiar metallic flavor of blood. She cringes faintly, but it doesn't really hurt. What hurts is the knowledge that she is gone.

Alongside her sits Scott, the other candidate for the flush of shame. He fluctuates between keeping his gaze on his feet and Courtney's face. She looks petrified. Normally he would be turned on by her strange little quirks – like fearing failure to the point it's physically painful – but right now he can feel nothing but his own kind of terror.

He curls his hands into fists to try to transfer his feelings into a physical presence. It does nothing. He taps his feet in a poor rhythm as a last attempt, but again it fails him. The fear pounds in his head and screams, _it's you or her. You…or your crush._ What is he supposed to do about that? _There's nothing you __**can**__ do._

Scott peers down at his pocket. Well…there is one thing. _You idiot. Don't even think about it._ It's his only safeguard. Moreover, if he saves her then he has to go. There's no way around it. Still he finds his hand slipping down into his pocket. His fingers curl around the object within – the idol. He's had it for days now, only he never needed to use it because their team never lost again.

"And the last marshmallow goes to…" Chris stretches out the last word as long as possible.

Courtney ducks her head. She makes no pretenses at being strong and confident. She blames Scott for that. His idiotic behavior, all mushy and junk, has definitely infected her. Not that she cares about him at all. She'd gladly vote for him instead if it meant shifting the weight and saving herself. At least that's what she tells herself.

"S-"

"Wait!" Scott cuts him off at the first sign of a 's' sound. He jumps up. "I…I want to use this." He pulls his hand from his pocket and opens it up, revealing the idol.

Chris looks at Scott as if he is stupid. "Uh, dude. If you'd let me **finish** my sentence," He glares heatedly at Scott. "Then you'd know you're safe and-"

"No," Scott shakes his head. "I mean I want to, um, use it on Courtney." He side glances and tucks his hands back behind his back.

Courtney's eyes widen and she sucks in a soft breath. Her face lights with relief as she sweeps her gaze over to Scott. She stares with reasonable incredulousness though. "Scott…"

Chris looks back and forth between them. "Are you serious?" He stares stupefied at Scott. "You realize **you're** her competition." The foolish teen nods to him. "Are you _crazy_?"

Scott shrugs. "She deserves it more than." Over the course of this season he slowly learned about the events of total drama world tour and how much strife the poor girl has endured at the hands of Duncan. "Me…I'm just a farmer boy who hates being that. I don't really deserve anything."

Courtney stands slowly. She looks carefully at Scott. She tries not to be affected, but she can feel herself soften. It takes her back to those first times with Duncan as she discovered his nice side – only this is most definitely different.

After so long of being around Scott she sees he is much more adherent to rules as long as they're pointed out to him and not as prone argue just to see her get riled up. Mostly though he is generally softer, almost to the point of mush with her. Even if these things aren't true with any other people, it stands that they are true for him and her. And somehow that's enough

"Scott…" Courtney's expression suddenly becomes meek. "That's so sweet." She steps forward and reaches out for his hands. "But you…you shouldn't do that." It hurts her to say it because in part she actually agrees with him. At the very least she doesn't want to lose this chance at the money. Still, "You deserve it just as much." She meets his gaze.

Scott looks down into her onyx eyes and smiles bashfully. He feels her hands on his with steadying certainty. Her heat pulses against his skin and creamy brown meets piercing white. The contrast is dizzying, but not so much as her mere proximity.

Duncan gags. "Are you kidding me?" He scoffs.

Scott and Courtney break the moment and peer around curiously at him. Their brows furrow and frowns deepen on their lips.

Duncan's face twists in disgust. "You'd seriously give up a chance at the million for a girl? And _this_ girl?" He gives a single syllable laugh. "Chris is right – you must be crazy." He shifts his gaze then and he smiles in infatuation as he eyes Gwen. "I mean, Gwen's one thing."

Gwen averts her gaze. She bites her lip. She wishes he'd stop that – putting her up on a pedestal in comparison to Courtney. More so she just wants him to stop in front of Courtney. Maybe he hates his ex, but Gwen wants desperately to be her friend again. She is so close to. Scott has helped Courtney a lot in this process. To remind her so much of Duncan he is very different. She'd certainly never date the guy either.

Duncan pulls his gaze back to the pair. "But her," He shakes his head. "I wouldn't waste a cent on her, let alone an idol that could be the difference between losing and **a million dollars**."

Courtney wants to snap at him, but she can't find the fury within her. Besides, he wants her to yell at him. He'll win if she does it. Still, why does it hurt so much? She drops her gaze to the ground and frowns despite her efforts.

Scott scowls fiercely over at Duncan. His lips curl in a snarl and he releases one of her hands as his own clenches into a tight fist. "You asshole." He growls. "You're a piece of work, you know that?" He unconsciously wraps his arm protectively around Courtney.

Duncan snorts. "Yeah, and you're not?" He raises a brow. "You dirty farmer boy. You're nothing but a cheap knockoff of me." A malicious smile curls his lips. "My replacement."

Scott barely stops the gasp from becoming audible. His expression shows it clearly anyway. His eyes widen and a strangling fear twists his features. His throat constricts and he can't find the words to say. He can't lie. The thought has crossed his mind many times, more than he will ever admit.

He doesn't really look at himself like that, but he is very aware of their similarities as 'villains'. The longer he spent with Courtney and the more he dwelt on the idea the more real it seemed despite how many times he swore it wasn't so.

Courtney's eyes shoot to his face. That's it – his one weak spot. Sure he's afraid of sharks and other physical things like that, even relationships to an extent, but this is the one emotional weakness. A fire lights within her and she narrows her eyes into slit.

Courtney turns on Duncan. "Don't you **dare** tell him that." She pulls away from Scott and stomps toward Duncan. "You. Are a piece of worthless shit that doesn't even have the decency to break up with a girl before kissing another one."

Duncan glowers up at her. He stands and squares his shoulders. "And you're abusive." He counters. "You tortured me for years."

Courtney scoffs. "It isn't abusive if you get off on it." She grins coldly. She pushes herself up on her toes to get up in his face. "And you so did. You maniac."

Duncan can feel her hot breath on his skin. It makes his skin crawl. "Abuse is abuse." He does not change his position. "Yelling is another thing entirely. What we were before…it was at least a little healthy."

Courtney rolls her eyes. "Nothing about us was healthy." She steps back. "That's the difference between you and Scott. Scott is genuinely well-meaning, he doesn't fight with me for sick kicks, and he cares about my feelings." Her voice cracks at the end. "He would never hurt me…never cheat." Despite the two years, the memory still stings. She'll never truly get over it. The scar is permanent.

Duncan blinks down at her. For a moment he really feels sorry for her. He never saw this side of her back when they were dating. Maybe that was the problem – they only knew one side of each other. And the side that could only lead to a bitter end.

Scott stares with wide eyes at the two. Does she mean it? Does she see them differently? Is Scott really so much better than Duncan? Surely it's only to stick it to the bad boy. Still, he can't help but be touched by her words.

Duncan snorts. "Whatever."

Courtney presses her lips tightly together. "Jerk." She rears her fist back and smashes it into his jaw. She doesn't wait long enough to even see him fall and she turns hard on her heel , bowing her head low. She hides her face and the misty quality of her eyes. She presses down the sobs trapped in her throat. It makes it hard to breathe.

Gwen gasps. As much as she wants Courtney to forgive her, she can't ignore Duncan this time. She races over to him. "You ok?" She lifts him gently into a sitting position.

Duncan growls deep in his throat. He wipes the back of his hand across his mouth, feeling the cool texture of blood on his lips. "Fine." He grinds out. And **that's** why he isn't with her anymore. He wants to say it, but he knows Gwen will hate it and probably stop giving him this brief moment of attention.

Chris sighs heavily. "_Well_, after **that** drama how about we get on with-" He stops short as he realizes no one is paying any attention to him. He crosses his arms and scowls, pouting.

Scott's brows knit together. He quickly moves toward Courtney. "Courtney," He says softly. "Come on, don't let him get to you." He reaches out for her.

Courtney smacks his hand away. "Go away." She snaps. She jerks the opposite direction of him. "Just leave already. Leave me alone here…with _him._" She hugs herself without thinking.

Confusion swims in Scott's eyes. He opens and closes his mouth around empty words. Finally he makes a tentative start, "Well…I, um…don't have to save you." He rubs the back of his neck. "I mean, if you don't want to be here…then I can just stay." He finds it hard to believe she would be alright with such a thing, but he tries it anyway.

Courtney gives a shuddery sigh. "No." She grunts. "I just…don't want to be anywhere…without you." She bites her lip. She can't believe herself. She's letting a guy get in the way of the game – again.

"**Enough.**" Chris bellows. He leans forward to project his voice. "No more changing you minds! No more mushy gushy crying stuff!" He waves his hands about himself all the while. "Courtney – you're safe. Scott – you're also safe. Duncan – I'm just tired of you. Get!" He points to the flush of shame.

Everyone starts. "What?" Duncan snaps. "What the hell? I wasn't even in the final two!" He glares heatedly at Chris. "You can't just choose yourself!"

Chris gives a single syllable laugh. "Uh, yeah I can. _But_," He holds up a hand. "This isn't quite that convoluted. You and Scott, you actually both got two votes. And we don't have time, after your little _thing_, to do a tie breaker. So you – go!"

Scott raises a brow. "Wait…so you're telling me you just randomly pick the safe person in the bottom two?" He looks at Chris in disbelief. "That's dumb."

Chris scoffs. "I'm sorry, did you say **you **wanted to go home?" He crosses his arms firmly over his chest. "Hm?"

Scott jumps slightly. "No, nope. It's cool."

"That's what I thought." He nods. "Duncan! Move. It."

Duncan pushes himself to his feet and walks with no small amount of fury. He stops fleetingly before Scott. "I'll get you." He seethes. "You just wait. I **am** a criminal. So you better watch your back." He continues on to the flush of shame and awaits his fate.

Scott snorts. "Not likely." He turns back to Courtney. "Well, uh…there you go." He shrugs. "I guess. I mean, you get to stay and he's not around you so…" He rambles on repetitively.

Courtney wipes at her eyes. "Oh be quiet." She hushes him. She smiles though, her tone not at all critical. "And…thanks." She clasps her hands behind her back. "For being willing to take my place. It was really…" She side glances then looks back at him. "UnDuncanlike."

Scott can't help but flinch. _All the constant comparisons_. Still, he smiles because it's nice for her to tell him that he is his own person. "I'm not him." He shrugs.

Courtney inches closer. Her heart speeds up as she slowly reaches her arms up to his shoulders. She slides her hands to the back of his neck and locks her fingers. She feels her cheeks heat up suddenly. Such embarrassment is also something she isn't used to, not with Duncan.

Scott freezes. He locks his gaze with her piecing onyx one. His breathing quickens and his mind runs in circles. Is this is? Is this the moment he's supposed to take to kiss her? Or is she just going to do it to him? Would she yell if he tried? She does like to yell.

"Scott…" Courtney whispers. "I really like you…" She can't say love – won't say it. _But…_

Scott swallows hard. "Yeah?" He wraps his arms carefully around her waist. "Me too." He takes a chance and leans down the small space to her, kissing her.

Courtney kisses him back softly. She strengthens her grip around him, almost afraid holding too loosely might mean letting it all crumble before her eyes.

After a moment they break the kiss. Their breaths mingle, hot and steady against the other's skin. Their eyes are especially bright as they look deep into each other's eyes. "So," Scott says slowly. He pulls away, a foot between them. "Wanna go back to the cabin?" He grins.

Courtney hesitates. She bites her lip. Then she too smiles, only much softer. "Sure." She slips her hand down into his. She curls her fingers tightly around his.

Scott squeezes her hand back. "Cool." He leads her away from the campfire. As they go a voice cuts through the silence.

"No! Nu-uh!" Chris shakes his head fiercely. "No girls in the guy's cabin. That's against the rules!" He glares at their backs.

They don't stop. The only sign of acknowledgement is as Courtney lifts her hand and flips him off over her shoulder. It makes her smiles wider, especially imaging Chris's expression. And while rules are important, this one is small enough that it won't hurt anything or anyone.

Having one hair out of place isn't so bad. If she's with Scott then she'd gladly let a few more fall out of place as well. He's no criminal. And he won't ever hurt her, not like Duncan.

**What do you think? Is Scott out of character? I wouldn't know because I never watched the fourth season. I only know him from tdas and tumblr posts on his character. Not the most reliable source, huh? But hopefully it's not too bad. Don't hesitate to give me constructive criticism on it though. I strive to improve. Anyway, please review!**


End file.
